
Woking road reopening faces delays until Easter, says council
The reopening of a Woking town centre road may be delayed until Easter, the council leader has said.Victoria Way has faced roadworks and closures since 2021 due to loose cladding panels repeatedly falling from the Woking Hilton hotel.Woking Borough Council (WBC) had said they hoped to see the route reopen by the end of March but they believe there will be a two-week delay until all panels have been screwed down. Councillor Ann-Marie Barker said: "I'm sorry to say this could be delayed a few weeks to Easter."
Ms Barker said she was pushing the developer Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM) to reopen the road as soon as it is safe to do so. She added SRM's site manager updated WBC's environment and place scrutiny committee last week and have said further works in the road will last until the summer. Ms Barker said: "I am incredibly frustrated at the continued road closure and continue to press SRM to work as quickly as possible to reopen Victoria Way and to ensure this never happens again."The BBC has contacted SRM for comment.

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BBC News
03-06-2025
- BBC News
Worthing's Grafton car park may remain shut amid safety concerns
Councillors will be asked to approve the continued closure of a car park in Worthing which was forced to shut last month due to concerns over unstable engineers have been assigned to investigate the Grafton multi-storey car park after recent inspections raised safety concerns about the of Worthing Borough Council (WBC) will later be asked to consider a report on the car park's condition, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The cabinet will also consider a report to return in July to discuss the future regeneration on the site alongside assessing the progress made since the initial closure on May 16. In a note requested by WBC, HOP Consulting Civil and Structural Engineers said it supported the closure of the car park until further notice. 'Debris detachment' It said: "Our note outlines that there are risks of failing/falling parts of the structure that threaten the safety of the public, users of the car park and is dangerous. "Hence, we agree it is appropriate to close the whole of the car park for urgent investigation and review."According to HOP, the monitoring approach used for several years to manage the "resulting overhead debris risk" is becoming "increasingly unreliable at pre-empting overhead debris detachment".The car park, which is over 60 years old, was closed because of am unstable High Alumina Cement November 2023, Worthing Borough Council announced plans to sell and demolish Grafton car park, a move which had first been mooted in 2007.


Daily Mirror
01-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
England's steepest street in UK city where cars are at risk of rolling away
Stuck delivery drivers, crampon-studded shoes, and sideways-parking - life on England's steepest street requires some skill - but locals say it's 'fine most of the time' Don't forget to put the handbrake on if you're parking on this insanely steep street - or risk seeing your car plunge to the bottom of the road. Locals living in Totterdown, Bristol, must have calves of steel, particularly those living on Vale Street - which was crowned the steepest in England back in 2019. In fact, the street is so steep there are stairs on either side to help pedestrians clamber up. Luckily, the street isn't a long one - measuring in at just 0.2km. However, according to reports, it has a staggering elevation of 17m and an average gradient slope of 22 degrees. The huge incline means you'll have to scurry outside in your pyjamas and traipse to the end of the road just to collect your Friday night takeaway. It's also a complete nightmare for delivery drivers and those who haven't quite mastered the art of parking sideways yet. Despite the clear downside to living on Vale Street, residents appear to have acclimatised. "It's fine most of the time. It's the winter that is the hardest part," says resident Appleby-Tyler, an artist who has lived on the street for more than a decade. "It gets very slippery so we have to wear crampons if we want to leave the house. They're like studs you can add to your shoes," he told Yahoo News back in 202 3. "Deliveries can be tricky. When we got a new washing machine we had to go and collect it and bring it down." The street's unusual claim to fame has, however, made it the perfect place to host unique events such as an egg-rolling contest on Easter Sunday - which sees dozens of boiled eggs race their way down the steep street. Residents also don't have to compete for free parking spaces, which is somewhat of a rarity in Bristol, due to many motorists not being brave enough to try and rev up the hill. "Home to (apparently) the steepest hill in the UK, Totterdown makes no apologies for its inclines, but it's easy to forgive when you consider what's on offer here," explains Boardwalk Estate Agents, which operates in the area. "Thriving local businesses, colourful Victorian terraces, and a real family-feel to the suburb, all make for very comfortable living in Totterdown, Bristol. " If your budget doesn't stretch to San Fransisco - a city also renowned for its crazy steep streets - you can travel a much more manageable 119 miles from London to Vale Street. The journey takes around three hours, but can be slashed down to under two and a half hours if you take the train and bus. Direct trains to Bristol cost as little as £38.50, depending on your flexibility.


Powys County Times
31-05-2025
- Powys County Times
Powys Air Cadets finally have new minibus after four years
A LLANDRINDOD Wells organisation says it is 'delighted' to have finally achieved its goal of buying a new minibus for youngsters in the town. The Llandrindod Wells RAF Air Cadets recently purchased a new minibus, after a near four-year campaign that started in late 2021. The group's old bus had been sent to the garage and the initial hope was to repair it. However, it quickly became apparent that it would be too costly to fix and the cadets set up a fundraising page, with the aim to raise a modest total of £3,000. 'Thank you to everyone who has supported our fundraising efforts to raise money for a replacement minibus over the last few years,' said the cadets on its Facebook page earlier this month, accompanied by a picture of proud youngsters standing next to the new Peugeot vehicle, which the kids have named 'Dennis'. 'We are delighted to have achieved our goal and on April 10 our minibus arrived. 'It has already been put to good use over the Easter holidays. So far it has supported our road marching, taken a group of cadets to RAF Cosford for flying and helped transport our gazebo to the lake for the Easter Saturday fun day. It (also) took the cadets to Sennybridge for a weekend of fieldcraft activities. 'Thank you to everyone who suggested a name for the minibus. The cadets decided on 'Dennis'.' The old minibus had served them faithfully for a decade but once it was sent for repairs it was discovered that would be too expensive, and a brand-new vehicle was required. The spa town-based squadron aims to train young men and women in leadership and citizenship roles through exciting and adventurous activities. The RAF Air Cadets offer young people exciting opportunities for personal and professional development. It describes itself as an inclusive organisation that cares about helping young people reach their potential. There are around 43,000 Royal Air Force Air Cadets across the UK, as well as 10,000 volunteer staff, who take part in exciting events at over 1,000 squadrons across the UK. From cyber and space to sports, flying and adventure training, being a cadet means trying new things in a safe environment, making friends along the way and gaining skills for life. To find out more about the RAF Air Cadets, visit